


Stubborn String

by genmitsu



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 06:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28467057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genmitsu/pseuds/genmitsu
Summary: Jim, Oswald, New Year... and a string of lights that refuses to work.
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Jim Gordon
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18
Collections: Gobblepot Winter 2020





	Stubborn String

**Author's Note:**

> Writing's been a bit of a challenge this past year, in a lot of ways, but I really wanted to send 2020 off with at least a short story. So here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

The New Year arrangements are always some kind of an adventure. Doubly so if your relationship is still new and your partner is the criminal king of the city. And you’re a cop too, let’s not forget about that. And you’re sitting on the floor, surrounded by wires and tiny light bulbs, trying to figure out why does the damned string of lights refuse to light up.

“No luck?”

“Nope,” Jim sighs regretfully and looks up at Oswald. The image of perfection, as always - the sculptured cheekbones, the expressive mouth, the eyes... Oh. There are no words to describe those eyes. Jim is falling in love with him more and more with each look. “Are you sure you want to put this one up?”

“Yeah, I’d rather it was this one...” Oswald sits on the carpet close to Jim, but not close enough so he could be within hugging distance. What a pity.

“But why?” Jim has been fussing over this string of lights for most of the evening and he was starting to suspect that maybe it was meant to test his feelings, or something - the damned thing just refused to cooperate and it seemed as if maybe it wasn’t meant to adorn any tree at all. All the wires were coloured differently, the light bulbs were all different too, in size and in shape. They almost seemed handmade from scratch which couldn’t be possible, but some were definitely coloured by hand, and the string hardly had any light bulbs that matched the rest. When Jim first tested this ridiculous assortment upon taking it out of the box, it worked alright, lighting up and blinking merrily, but the moment it was put up on the tree... oh, the damned thing just stayed off. And this happened twice. And so Jim’s still sitting with it and checking all the connections and positions of the bulbs again. All fifty-eight of them. He’s counted.

“You’re going to laugh at me,” Oswald pouts a little but it looks charming.

“Why?”

“You’re going to say I’m being sentimental. Or something about my age.”

Jim looks at him, deeply perplexed, but then he suddenly realises that Oswald is  _ teasing  _ him! Jim smirks and moves closer to him, because you can’t expect to tease your boyfriend and not get kissed on the cheek.

“Do tell me, my sentimental joy.”

“Well... long story short, it’s a family heirloom... in a way. My Grandpa made it, a long time ago, when my Mother was still a child. There was no procuring any spares or parts, so they had to make do, and that’s why it’s so... varied, as you see.”

“Oh yes.”

“Mother couldn’t remember any holiday without this string. It was there for her through all the Christmases and the New Years, always... So, of course, she took it with her when she moved here. So I’ve never had a holiday without this string of lights either.” Oswald smiles wistfully. “I’ve never seen my Grandpa. But this way, they’re both with me on days like these.”

“Oh...” Jim sees the stubborn string in a new light. True, with this kind of history and age behind it’s no surprise it didn’t feel inclined to work, it was amazing it still worked at all... “Alright, I get it, it has to be this one and this one only. I had a thought, but I can’t use your family heirloom for that.” Oswald looks at him questioningly but Jim just shakes his head. “I’ll find something else, and then you’ll find out, love. And for now... well, I still have twenty-three sockets to check.”

“Do you want me to help?” Oswald asks hesitantly. “I don’t really understand these things, but...”

“Nah, it’s okay. I’ll get it to cooperate, don’t worry.”

It took almost an hour, but Jim finally managed to get the string of lights working and blinking at the place it was meant to be - up on the tree. It did look beautiful. And the history behind it served as an extra charming detail.

“So what were you thinking, Jim? About that string of lights?”

“Oh, that...”

Jim reaches out to a vase where a new, modern LED string was providing decorative lighting - cute, true, but it becomes a lot cuter if you take it in your hands and wrap it around Oswald to pull him closer and kiss him softly on the lips.

“This,” Jim says, feeling sheepish, but Oswald’s eyes are twinkling from those lights and mirth both, and it makes something constrict in Jim’s chest.

“You’re so sweet,” Oswald smiles and leans in to kiss him more. “Making all my wishes come true...”

Then, for safety measures, they had to remove the LED string from Oswald, of course. But Jim wasn’t really complaining about that.


End file.
